FORMER first secretary of state Damian Green urged John Major’s government to embrace the internet in 1994 to catch up with the White House and stay ahead of young Labour leader Tony Blair, according to newly released official documents.
Green, then in the government’s policy unit, suggested getting online to keep up to date.
In a letter to Major’s private secretary, Alex Allan, on August 22, he said: “Various MPs who are computer-literate have made the point to me that it would be advantageous for Number 10 to be seen to be up with developments in this area.
“Specifically, connecting No. 10 with the internet would keep us up with the White House, which has made a big thing of the modern way the Clinton/Gore administration deals with communications.
“Internet users will be a growing group of opinion-formers, and I can just imagine Tony Blair showing how he belongs to a new generation by signing up.”
READ MORE: 'Let them butcher each other' – MPs' response to Troubles revealed
Blair had been elected Labour leader the previous month, following the sudden death of John Smith in May.
But the concerns about him were unfounded, as Blair was notoriously known as a technophobe who was once described by former spokesman Alastair Campbell as a “pen and paper man”.
Allan responded by agreeing that getting online would show Number 10 “keeping up with technological trends”, but he was concerned about advertising for the public to send emails to the PM, which the White House was doing, saying: “I am cautious about rushing into it.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here